Butterfly Valley Rhodes
A hidden secret in Rhodes, Butterfly Valley Rhodes
The Greek island of Rhodes is famous for its nightlife, its beaches, its weather and its people. But, did you know it is also famous (although mainly locally) for its incredible Butterfly valley?
On the Western side of the island, about 5km from Tholos is the Valley of the Butterflies, or Petaloudes in Greek. This is one of those “that was so worth it” kinds of day trips.
It’s the only natural forest in Europe of Oriental Sweetgum trees, and that’s part of its secret. Butterflies love the scent of them and every August is high season for the colourful insects. You can wander the natural forest, soak up the atmosphere and maybe make friends with a butterfly or two. Kids will love discovering this natural phenomenon, while for mum and dad it’s a peaceful day trip to get some much needed rest and relaxation.
There’s also a Museum of Natural History, found in a restored 1930s Italian house. Inside there is a hatchery, where butterflies are born in stable climate conditions.
Afterwards a stop at one of the nearby villages like Psinthos for a delicious taverna lunch or a refreshing dip at one of the nearby Blue Flag beaches rounds of a perfect afternoon.
How to get there: You can take a bus from one of the local towns or if driving, you’ll find the Butterfly Valley between the villages of Paradisi and Tholos on a small road that leads inland.
Images under Creative Commons via ShadowGate and Seligmanwaite.
For cheap holidays in Rhodes or throughout the Greek Islands talk to Purple Travel on 0207 993 9228 or visit our Rhodes holiday pages.
